Power grids have not undergone significant architectural changes since use of electricity for power was realized more than a century ago. The idea of a “Smart Grid” was introduced in the late 1990s, however, today, power grids still only employ limited intelligence in managing and providing power to consumers. Energy distribution systems are currently at a crossroads, as they confront the significant problem of imbalances of various kinds. Not only is the gap between supply and demand continuing to increase due to global population growth, but there also is a geographic imbalance in energy production and consumption patterns. These imbalances and uncertainties could be exacerbated in the future considering the rapidly increasing energy demands of newly industrialized nations, such as China, India, Brazil, and Russia, as these and other nations will compete for more generating sources to meet expected energy demands. While incorporating a wide variety of renewable (non-fossil fuel) energy sources is part of the solution to the increasing energy demands, it is not likely that incorporating renewable energy sources will be a panacea for the impending energy issues. Thus, it is clear that there also will have to be significant changes in the power distribution network to help meet future energy needs.
To facilitate improving power distribution to help meet future energy needs, improvement in conventional power grids is desired to minimize power loss in transmission of power from point of generation to point of usage, minimize unnecessary heating of power system components, minimize damage and wear on power system components, minimize power fluctuations, and improve communications in the power grid to improve power system performance. One particular challenge in conventional power systems (e.g., three-phase alternating current (AC) power systems) is managing power system imbalances, such as, for example, phase load imbalances. In many regions of the world, power is generated from a power generator, wherein the power is distributed to end-use nodes (e.g., homes) using multiple phases, such as three-phase AC power. When transmitting three-phase power via electrical power transmission lines, there can be transmission lines for each phase of the three-phase AC power. In three-phase AC power, it is desirable for the power for each of the respective phases to be 120° offset from the other phases (e.g., Phase A at 0°, Phase B at −120°, Phase C at −240°), with each phase having the same current or voltage amplitude, wherein power for each phase will be in the form of a sinusoidal wave, since it is AC power.
When three-phase AC power is connected to loads at the end-use nodes, it is desired for the loads to be distributed as evenly as practicable between the phases, so that the power system is balanced. In practice, power systems rarely have perfectly balanced loads, currents, voltages, or impedances in all three phases. Typically, homes and other end-use nodes (e.g., business buildings, sub-transmission components, micro power distribution sources, etc.), which carry respective loads (e.g., appliances, electric or hybrid-electric vehicles, etc.), are connected to one phased power line of the three-phase power lines. Load fluctuations and/or other power fluctuations can affect the balance of a system, which may cause a power system to become more and/or undesirably imbalanced. For example, connecting and disconnecting of appliances, electric or hybrid-electric vehicles, or other loads can impact or change the system balance. As another example, sometimes when connecting homes or other structures to a power grid, such structures are not connected to the distribution transformer or other component (e.g., three-phase power transmission lines) associated therewith, so as to evenly distribute the load across the three phases (e.g., people (e.g., servicemen) connecting homes to the distribution transformer or associated three-phase power lines sometimes connect more of loads to the same phased power line because it is easier to connect to the loads to that particular phased power line), which can result in power system imbalance. Undesirable power system imbalances can result in undesirable voltage fluctuations, power losses, increases in heat for system components which can cause damage or unnecessary wear on those system components, increase in maintenance and repair costs of the power system, etc.
Currently, communications is one area where changes are being made to power grids to create Smart Grids in order to facilitate improved power system performance. Presently, emerging Smart Grid networks are deployed using a variety of communications technologies, including wired (e.g., fiber, microwave, power line carrier (PLC), etc.) as well as public and private wireless networks (e.g., Wi-Fi), using the licensed and unlicensed spectrum. For example, utilities have used unlicensed spectrum for automatic meter reading (AMR) applications, wherein a smart meter, which can be found at locations of both residential and commercial customers, allows electrical consumption information to be identified and transmitted to distribution-level control center (DCC), typically at periodic (e.g., monthly) times. However, conventionally, communication technologies have been underutilized in power grids resulting in continued inefficiencies, including inefficiencies relating to managing and maintaining desired power system balance. Further, the emergence of distributed power generation systems (e.g., power generation systems that include a central power generation system as well as micro power generation sources, such as solar energy systems, wind power generation systems, etc.) to replace or supplement the relatively flat topography of traditional power distribution systems is likely to exacerbate the inefficiencies relating to managing and maintaining desired power system balance.
The above-described deficiencies of today's systems are merely intended to provide an overview of some of the problems of conventional systems, and are not intended to be exhaustive. Other problems with the state of the art and corresponding benefits of some of the various non-limiting embodiments may become further apparent upon review of the following detailed description.